Roasted Vegetable Egg Crêpe Cannelloni and a Giveaway

When food writer and chef, Robin Asbell asked me to take part in a blog potluck to introduce her new Gluten-Free Pasta book (Running Press) I was all ears. “Can you make Crêpe Cannelloni with Roasted Veggies and Chèvre?” she asked.

We eat a lot of roasted veggies in my house so I was hooked immediately and Robin is a champion of all things vegetable. Then I received a copy of Robin’s gorgeous book. It’s filled with more than 100 ways to make pasta including easy, homemade noodle recipes like these Crêpe Cannelloni. And she’s included low-carb (and no-carb) options and dishes with an Asian flare as well. I mean, there is something for everyone in this book. And, of course, it’s all gluten free.

As a food writer, I love browsing through cookbooks and this one is great for window shopping. But there are several recipes I want to try right off the bat.

The recipe I picked to reprint here has several steps. But it’s worth it. I did not make the Veggie Spaghetti Sauce, however, although I included the recipe here. It sounds delish. Instead, I used a good quality commercial product (Muir Glen). That’s the one shortcut I would recommend if time is limited.

The crepes were easy to make, light and wonderful with the vegetable filling. You can also make these into easy strands for noodle dishes. My husband and I ate several filled cannelloni in one sitting. And this is a terrific way to get kids to eat their vegetables.

I can’t wait to try more of Robin’s recipes. For more, visit her web site robinasbell.com

I am giving away a copy of Gluten-Free Pasta to one lucky reader. Just leave a comment to this post or on my Facebook page to win.

Be sure to include your email address in the comment so I can contact you. the offer ends Sunday, March 30. Sorry, but it’s only open to US residents.

Egg crêpes make a wonderful pasta stand-in in this delicious dish. Butter-soft roasted veggies are laced with tangy chèvre, rolled in tender crêpes, then topped with classic red sauce before being baked to crusty greatness.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Combine the asparagus, zucchini, onion, and red bell pepper in a large bowl and add the olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic. Toss to mix. Spread the veggies on 2 sheet pans and roast for 20 minutes, then stir, rotate the pans, and roast for 10 minutes more.

The veggies should be tender and browning. Let the pans cool to room temperature on racks. Leave the oven on. When cool, transfer the veggies to a medium bowl and add the basil, then toss to mix.

To assemble the cannelloni, lightly oil a 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Lay the crêpes out on a counter or cutting board. Divide the chèvre and veggies among the crêpes, then roll them up and place them in the baking pan, seam-side down. Cover with the veggie sauce and then sprinkle the Parmesan down the center of the crêpes.

Bake, uncovered, for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is melted and golden.

Whisk the garbanzo flour, milk, and salt in a large bowl until smooth. Add the eggs and whisk again.

Heat an 8-inch crêpe pan or a small sauté pan over medium-high heat. Brush or spray with oil.

Measure 1/4 cup of crêpe batter into the pan and quickly swirl to coat just the bottom of the pan. Cook for a minute or two, until set and flip over carefully. Cook the second side for only a couple of seconds and transfer the crêpe to a cutting board to cool. Continue with the remaining crêpe batter.

When all the crêpes are cooked and cooled to room temperature, you can either use them for cannelloni or roll them up and slice them thinly into strands. Toss to fluff. These can be stored, tightly covered, for up to 4 days.

Veggie Spaghetti Sauce

This is a simple sauce to use for everything. It is full of chunky vegetables but is delicious and tomatoey enough that kids love it. Make a double batch to freeze and use it for quick weeknight spaghetti, pizzas, and lasagna, or anywhere else a red sauce would be appropriate. I use Muir Glen canned tomatoes.

In a 4-quart pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, pepper flakes, garlic, celery, carrot, and thyme. Once the mixture begins to sizzle, reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring often, for at least 10 minutes, and up to an hour if you have the time, to caramelize the onions and add more depth of flavor. Add the wine and bring to a boil, then stir in the tomato sauce and purée, diced tomatoes, salt, and pepper.

Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until the sauce is thick and the vegetables are very tender. Season with more salt and pepper, if desired.

R Culversays:

This looks and sounds so yummy! I’m excited, too, about your suggestion to use them as noodles. I will give this a try. If it comes from your recommendation, then I know it has to be good. I have your “Gluten Free Makeovers” cookbook, and thoroughly love making everything in there! It’s my “go to” cookbook for gluten free. Would love to spend an afternoon cooking with you, Beth! You know so much about gluten free baking and cooking. Thank you, too, for your articles in “Living Without” as you answer so many difficult questions and always seem to have a solution to try. All in all, if you say Robin’s book is a good one, that’s enough for me!

Sherrysays:

I am just getting acquainted with your blog site and your recipes sound yummy. Just recently I have needed to go gluten free and I have so many allergies to food as well, so it is a delight to find your recipes. I am excited to try them out.

Noreensays:

Hi Beth: Would love to win a copy of Robin’s book. If you say it’s a good one, I know will be. Also wanted to tell you, I tried your Irish soad bread for St. Patrick’s Day last week and it was delicious!! So very close to the recipe I made prior to being GF that nobody could tell the difference. Excellent!! Your Gluten Free Makeover Book has been wonderful. A success with every recipe I have tried. You are amazing! Looking forward to you next book!

Mary Ann Grovessays:

Thanks Beth for all of your great recipes for us GF People. You are the best!!! Keep them coming. I even made GF Irish Soda Bread for St. Patrick’s Day and everyone loved it. My Irish Husband didn’t even know it was GF till I told him. I used his late mother’s recipe and simply substituted GF flour for regular. Easy!!!!
Mary Ann in Knoxville, TN

Jeannesays:

Hi Beth! What a nice surprise to find this e-mail today!! It’s been quite a while since I’ve been in contact with you… When I saw this recipe I was excited, until I saw that the crepes require garbanzo bean flour. I can’t tolerate garbanzo beans at all. Is there any way to make the crepes with some other flour that would hold them together as well? Thanks for your help.